Habeck defends controversial agricultural diesel decision
Because the coalition government has to replan its budget and make do with much less money following a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court, benefits are being cut, among other things. This also affects farmers. They want to protest. The Vice-Chancellor explains the decision.
Vice-Chancellor and Green politician Robert Habeck has defended the planned abolition of tax concessions for agricultural diesel. At the same time, he defended Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir, also from the Greens, against criticism. "The Federal Chancellor, the Finance Minister and I had to make the decision on the agricultural diesel subsidy as part of an overall solution," said Habeck. "That was not easy and I am also aware of the hardships. The Minister of Agriculture warned against abolishing the agricultural diesel subsidy. Cem Özdemir knows the situation of farmers and the burden and has made this very clear."
Habeck went on to say that he had also discussed these arguments with the government partners. "But as a result of the ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court, we have to make do with less money and restrict spending. And the three of us have made this decision as part of the overall package." On Wednesday, after lengthy negotiations with Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP), the Minister of Economic Affairs agreed on how to plug billions of euros of gaps in the federal budget for 2024 and in the climate and transformation fund following a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court.
Deputy CDU Secretary General Christina Stumpp had sharply criticized the abolition of tax breaks for agricultural diesel. She said that Özdemir was letting farmers and rural areas down and committing a "serious breach of promise". The German Farmers' Association is calling for a rally in Berlin this Monday to protest against the planned abolition of tax concessions. Under the motto "Too much is too much", the aim is to express outrage at the end of regulations on agricultural diesel and vehicle tax exemptions for agriculture and forestry. DBV President Joachim Rukwied had already called on the coalition government to withdraw the plans. Otherwise, agriculture has no future
Meanwhile, Lindner is open to withdrawing the planned deletion and replacing it with other cuts. "To be clear: I am not a friend of the burden on agricultural businesses," the Finance Minister told Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland. The issue will therefore have to be discussed within the government and coalition. "I am open to alternatives," emphasized the FDP chairman. Özdemir agreed with the criticism and warned that the planned cuts to agricultural subsidies could lead to an unprecedented extinction of farms in Germany. "I share the concern", Özdemir said on ARD television.
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In response to the criticism towards Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir for advocating against the abolition of agricultural diesel subsidies, Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck stated that Habeck, the Federal Chancellor, and the Finance Minister had to make this decision as part of a larger budget plan due to the ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court. Cem Özdemir, being aware of the farmers' hardships, had also made his stance known within the coalition government.
With the German Farmers' Association planning a rally in Berlin to protest against the planned abolition of agricultural diesel subsidies, Federal Minister of Economic Affairs, Peter Altmaier, agreed to discuss alternatives with Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck, and Finance Minister Christian Lindner.
Source: www.ntv.de
